1. Technical Field of the Invention
This invention relates to automotive and truck accessories and, more particularly, to a device for mounting snow chains on tires.
2. Description of Related Art
In many parts of the country and the world, winter driving requires the use of snow chains on tires in order to provide traction on icy and snowy roads. This is particularly true for large tractor-trailer trucks which are required by law in many jurisdictions to utilize snow chains during hazardous winter driving conditions.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a set of double-wide snow chains 10 which are typically utilized as traction devices on large trucks. The chains, or "3-Railer", are usually 1/4-inch or 3/8-inch in diameter, and have three longitudinal runners 11-13 and a plurality of cross chains 14. The extensions 15 of the runners extend beyond the cross chains at one end to function as adjusting links. The other end of the runners has three half-links 16 which are utilized as hooks, and, when installed on the tires, are hooked into one of the adjusting links in the extended runners 15. The two outside runners each have a chain cam 17 which is utilized to tighten the chains as required for driving. A set of these chains are typically about eight feet long and are spaced approximately ten inches apart. The cross chains 14 are approximately 10 inches apart through the length of the chains.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a set of double truck wheels 21 and tires 22 mounted on a single axle 23. Wheel holes 24 enable a visual inspection of brake components (not shown), and provide access to valve stems for the tires 22. The wheels are manufactured with a wheel rim 25 where the tires are mounted. Snow chains are manufactured so that a single set of double-wide chains 10, covers both tires.
A set of double-wide snow chains weighs approximately 75 pounds. Therefore, without any assistance, these snow chains are extremely difficult for one person to install on the truck tires. To install the snow chains (i.e., "chain up"), the chains are draped over the dual truck tires to the ground. The truck is then backed up or pulled forward to roll over the chains so they can be fastened together with the hooks 16 and adjusting links 15. Slack in the snow chains, however, tends to follow the wheel as it turns. Therefore the hooks 16 and adjusting links 15 often do not reach each other after driving over the chains because the slack is held under the tire.
Alternatively, the driver may lay the chains out on the ground behind the tires, and then attempt to drive onto the chains. The two ends of the chain set must then be lifted and hooked together without any slack in the chains. This is difficult to accomplish, however, without creating undesirable slack in the chains, especially in the icy or snowy conditions which are typical.
There are no known prior art teachings of a solution to the aforementioned deficiency and shortcoming such as that disclosed herein. FIG. 3 is a prior art device which comprises a metal tube 31 through which a steel cable is run. A first cable section 32 extends from one end of the metal tube, and a second cable section 33 extends from the other end. Another cable section 34 extends from a hole 35 in the center of the tube. Hooks 36-38 are welded to the ends of the three cable sections. In use, the tube 31 is pushed through the wheel holes 24 on both the outside wheel 21a and the inside wheel 21b. This leaves cable section 32 and hook 36 hanging down on the outside of the outside wheel, cable section 34 and hook 37 hanging down between the two wheels, and cable section 33 and hook 38 hanging down on the inside of the inside wheel. The driver then hooks the three hooks onto one end of the snow chains, and drives the truck forward, thereby pulling the chains around the tires.
There are several disadvantages to this existing device. First, the wheel holes 24 on the outside wheel 21a and the inside wheel 21b must be aligned, or else the tube cannot be pushed through. In many cases, the wheel holes are not aligned, and the device is useless. Second, even when the wheel holes are aligned, the passageway is small due to the brake drums mounted therein. Additionally, in ice and snow conditions, the center area between the tires is often snow-packed, plugging the holes. Therefore, it is difficult to get the tube through the passageway. Finally, the cable and hooks hang down from the tube, and the hooks are near the ground. Thus, they are difficult to reach on the inside tire and between the tires.
In order to overcome the disadvantage of existing methods of installing snow chains on tires, it would be advantageous to have a device which is easily utilized by one person to securely anchor one end of a set of snow chains to a tire so that the chains can be wrapped around the tire without any slack. The present invention provides such a device.